Rollers foreign trio face Nikola chop

Publishing Date : 12 June, 2018

Author : MOSIMANEGAPE TSHOSWANE

Township Rollers’ three imported players are likely not to get any game time in the coming season as head Coach, Nikola Kavazovic prepares to shuffle his squad. WeekendSport has it on good authority that one of the players has already been told, via text to terminate his contract.

The said players are Ugandan born Irvin Ntenge, former Jomo Cosmos striker Mthokozisi Msomi together with South Africa’s skillful player Tshepo Matete. Matete, informants say is the most likely to leave. He in fact has already been sent a text message from the coach, telling him to voluntarily terminate his contract with immediate effect. “Coach Kavazovic has sent him a message to terminate his contract, he is now surplus to requirement,” an informer told this publication.

Matete was signed, not necessarily to play but to entertain followers of a club that has now won country wide appeal. It is said the decision to axe the players solely comes from the coach who has now won a double for the Jagdish Shah project. But the teams’ insistency and promise to make a loud impact last season has of course bore fruits. However, the trio, in Kavazovic’s eyes, has failed to stand strong and therefore have no future at Rollers.

Signed and captured under the multi-millionaire project of Jagdish Shah, the players were recruited to embody the present and future of the club. But all of them are seen to have played a little role in pushing Rollers to the top. Msomi, for instance, failed to live up to expectations and is rather remembered for engaging in altercations that earned him a suspension.

Ntenge is one player who has played more minutes compared to any other player. But both Matete and Msomi were making appearances from the bench and it now appears Township Rollers’ time is speeding them towards the past. However some believe that the talent of the big three, along with striker Joel Mogorosi, who is also out of favour have made the case for Rollers to make headline impact, particularly in the ongoing the CAF competition where Rollers is on second position after playing two games. Kavazovic agrees that as a unit they have and could still find an edge as the competition drags on.

Many still do not know why the Rollers coach will want the players out of the team, but speculation is rife that all failed to awaken their sense of competitiveness enhanced by their reported playing pedigree. Rollers spokesperson, Bafana Pheto could not be drawn to comment, rather referring all enquiries to Kavazovic and the team President Jagdish Shah. The duo’s phones were off air at the time of going to print.

It is however a costly exercise to axe players who were still on contract. But sources say Kavazovic has won everything without much of their input, and it is why it was easy for him convince Shah. Irvin Ntenge was earning a salary of P 17 000 with a housing allowance of P2000. Both Matete and Msomi were paid P 25 000 every month.